Italy and Libya Expand Energy Cooperation as Gas Flows Decline

Mintesinot Niggusie

Italy and Libya have agreed to deepen energy cooperation following talks in Rome between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, with discussions centred on investment in the energy sector and broader economic ties.

The talks also reaffirmed cooperation on migration management, according to a statement from the Italian prime minister’s office, as both sides seek to stabilise bilateral relations amid shifting regional conditions.

Energy security concerns in Italy have intensified as the country, which relies heavily on imports, faces exposure to global fuel price volatility linked to disruptions in the Middle East, including tensions involving Iran and instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil shipments.

Libya remains Italy’s largest crude oil supplier, accounting for nearly 20 percent of its imports. However, gas exports from Libya to Italy declined to around 1 billion cubic metres in 2025, down from 1.4 billion cubic metres a year earlier, reflecting infrastructure constraints, rising domestic demand in Libya and political instability that has limited pipeline performance, including the Greenstream link.

Italian parliamentary attention to the issue has also increased. Members of the country’s security committee visited Libya in late April, where they discussed expanding investment to raise gas production and export capacity. The state-controlled energy group Eni produced about 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in Libya in 2025 and is currently advancing three development projects.